NFL totals betting is one of the most fun ways to bet on NFL markets. Because of this, NFL totals betting is also one of the most popular ways to bet on an NFL game in the United States.
When you bet on NFL totals, you are simply picking the game’s final score to go over or under a predetermined number set by the oddsmakers. The outright winner of the game does not matter here like with NFL moneylines. You also don’t have to worry about picking which team is going to cover a spread like with NFL point spread betting.
Instead, to win your NFL totals bet, all you have to do is pick the game’s total over or under. If you are correct, your betting ticket will settle as a winner.
While NFL totals betting may sound easy because of its simplicities, it is not. In this guide, NFL ins and outs of NFL totals betting will be thoroughly explained with the hopes of giving you a better understanding of how they work, how to bet them, and the best sportsbooks to bet them with today.
What are NFL Totals Bets?
NFL totals bets are when you bet on the total number of points scored by both sides of a game combined. The totals line is set by the oddsmakers according to the total number of expected points scored in a game by both teams combined.
For bettors, you have the option of betting on two potential outcomes. The over and the under. If you think the game will have more points than the predetermined number set by the oddsmakers, you will bet on the over.
However, if you think that the game will score fewer points than the predetermined number of total combined points scored, then you will take the under.
Furthermore, it doesn’t matter how the points are scored, which teams scored them, or who wins the game. To win your NFL totals bet, all you are doing is picking the game to go over or under the total. If you are correct, your bet will be graded as a winner.
What Types of Totals Bets are Available?
When you think of NFL totals bets, you will normally think of the total combined points scored in a game. However, while that is the traditional way to bet on an NFL total, there are more types of NFL totals bets that you can make, which will be explained below.
Match Totals
Match totals are also called game totals. This is the standard way to bet on an NFL total. When you bet on a match total, you are betting on the total points scored between both teams in a full game combined.
For example, if the Dallas Cowboys are at the New York Giants and the match total is set at 52.5 points, the total number of points scored must be 53 for the Over to win and 52 for the under to win.
Team Totals
Team totals are unique ways to place wagers on NFL totals. With team totals, you are betting on the total number of points scored by one team in a game.
For example, using the Cowboys-Giants scenario from above, the game total is set at 52.5 points. However, since the Cowboys are favored to win, they will have a team total of 27.5 points.
Therefore, to win your team totals bet, the Cowboys must score 28 points if you bet on the Over or fewer than 27 points if you took the Under for those bets to hit. In this scenario, it doesnt matter how many points the Giants score.
Quarters/Halves and Others
Quarters and halves totals are more alternative ways to bet on NFL totals. While match totals focus on the total number of points scored in a full game between both teams combined, quarters and halves totals focus on the number of total combined points scored in a specific quarter or a specific half, depending on the market you bet on.
You can find quarters markets for all four quarters of an NFL game. You can also find halves markets for both halves of an NFL game.
Here is an example of quarters/halves totals once again using the Cowboys-Giants scenario from earlier.
Since the Cowboys-Giants match total is set at 52.5 points, the first quarter total will be set at 10 while the first half total is set at 26.5.
Like any other type of totals bet, the total number of points scored by both sides in a quarter or a half must go Over or Under the predetermined number for the given market for you to win your bet.
How to read NFL Totals Betting Lines and Odds?
Reading NFL totals betting lines and odds may be confusing at first. However, once you get it down, it will come easy to you.
Remember, when you bet on a total, you are betting on the total number of points scored in a game by both sides combined.
Here is an example of how to read NFL totals betting lines and odds:
- Las Vegas Raiders -7 (-110) vs Kansas City Chiefs +7 (-110)
- Over 50 (-110)
- Under 50 (-110)
Using the example above, the only number you should be focused on is 50, which is the predetermined total of expected points by both sides set by the oddsmaker. 50 is the line.
You will also see (-110) next to the number 50 for both the Over and Under markets. Those are the odds.
If you bet on the game to go Over, the total number of points scored between the Raiders and Chiefs must exceed 51 points.
If you bet $100 on the Over of 50 points at (-110) odds and your bet is a winner, you will get a $190.91 payout.
Should I Price Shop for the Best Lines on NFL Totals Bets?
Yes. You should price shop for the best lines on NFL totals bets. In fact, you should price shop every single bet that you make. Doing so will help you become a more profitable sports bettor in the long run. Here’s why.
When you price shop, you are shopping the same market across multiple sportsbooks, looking for the best line and the best price. Then, you will place your bet on the operator offering the best line, the best price, or both.
For example, if DraftKings Sportsbook and BetRivers Sportsbook are offering the same totals market set at 54 points and (-115) odds, but you find it at FanDuel Sportsbook with (-110) odds, then you will place your wager at FanDuel Sportsbook.
There will also be times where the odds will be the same, but you can grab a better line, which in this case would be 53.5 points at (-115) odds.
These discrepancies may seem small, but they can make a difference over time. Here’s why.
When you bet $100 on (-115) odds, you will get a $186.96 payout. When you bet $100 on (-110) odds, your payout will be $190.91, a difference of $3.95.
What’s $3.95 right? However, win 10 bets where you get better odds, and that $3.95 turns into $39.50.
If you weren’t price shopping, your bankroll would be almost $40 lighter.
What to Look For When Betting NFL Totals Online
Totals Betting Selection
Since there could be 16 NFL games played in a given week, it is best to narrow down your totals bet selection. While you can place a totals bet on every game, you are statistically putting yourself at a disadvantage. It is hard enough to win one bet, try 16.
Therefore, it would be in your best interest to find the games and teams that you know the best and bet on them. Another way to narrow down your bet selections is by only making bets on totals markets that offer value.
Best Odds
Earlier in this guide, price shopping was explained. The only way to get the best odds on every bet that you want to make is by price shopping. It is important to get the best odds so you don’t leave any money on the table.
Why would you place at BetMGM when you can get better odds at DraftKings Sportsbook? It’s not like you have to jump through hoops to get the best odds, either. All it takes is a few extra clicks and a few extra minutes of your time to put yourself in the best position for profitability.
Best Lines
Betting the best lines for a bet that you want to make is just as important as getting the best odds. Let’s say the odds are uniform between three sportsbooks, but one of them is offering the market at a discounted line. Then why wouldn’t you take the best line right?
For example, if Caesars Sportsbook and PointsBet have a totals market with a line set at 45.5 points with (-110) odds, but FanDuel Sportsbook has the same game with a line of 45 points and (-110) odds, then you’d be wise to take the bet at FanDuel.
While the odds and payout would be the same, that half of a point discrepancy in the line could spell the difference between a winning bet, a losing bet, and a push, directly impacting your bankroll.
Parlays and Same Game Parlays
If you want to place more high-risk high reward bets, then you should look for sportsbooks offering parlays. And as if parlays aren’t complex enough, some operators feature same-game parlays and same-game parlay+ bets.
When you want to make these wagers, be smart about it. Most of the time, the best sportsbooks will offer incentives to place your parlay bets on their platform. These incentives could be in the form of parlay insurance and parlay odds boost tokens.
If you are going to take a risk and place a parlay bet in any form, then why not get a little bit extra in the process? Do yourself a favor and shop around between sportsbooks and place your parlay bets on the platform that will give you an incentive for something you were planning on doing anyhow.
Promotions
All of the best sportsbooks will offer generous NFL bonuses and promotions in some shape or form. They do this to entice new bettors to sign up and bet on their platform. They also deploy these promotions to keep the customers they already have, betting with them.
And guess what, if you are savvy enough, you can cash in big on all of these offers. For new users, you can sign up with as many sportsbooks as you like and secure lucrative welcome bonuses. While you are limited to one welcome offer per operator, there is no limit to the number of operators you can sign up for.
Then, when it comes to recurring promotions for existing users, you can keep up to date with these by vising your sportsbook’s promotions page. Whether it’s parlay insurance for a specific sport, bet and gets or daily odds boost tokens, there are always incentives offered by a sportsbook that you can capitalize on.
Best Online Sportsbooks for NFL Totals Betting
BetMGM Online Sportsbook
If you like to bet on NFL totals, BetMGM Sportsbook should be at the top of your list of sites to join. At BetMGM, you will find a wide variety of NFL totals markets to bet on, including alternative totals markets for every game. Furthermore, when it comes to generous bonuses and promotions, BetMGM is top-notch. From odds boosts to bonus bets, BetMGM is always offering something to its loyal bettors.
Caesars Sportsbook
When it comes to Caesars Sportsbook, it is one of the best sites for NFL totals betting and NFL totals markets overall. This is because Caesars Sportsbook knows what its bettors want, which is lucrative promotions for new and existing users, a slew of NFL betting markets to choose from and odds boost tokens that you will find on a regular basis.
DraftKings Online Sportsbook
DraftKings Sportsbook has everything you could need in an NFL betting site. While DraftKings Sportsbook offers competitive lines and odds for every NFL game on the slate, it also features layers of bonuses and promotions for those markets so bettors can enhance their bankroll, even more, when their bets are successful. And when it comes to featured games on Thursday night, Sunday night, and Monday night, you can be sure that DraftKings Sportsbook will have correlated odds boosts and promos to make those marquee matchups that much more exciting to bet on and to watch.
Bet365
One of the most popular sports betting brands worldwide, Bet365 is establishing itself as one of the best sportsbooks for bettors in the United States. And although Bet365 is only available in a limited number of states, you will still find all of the top NFL betting markets on its platform. Bet365 also offers a live tracking feature, which is not something you will find at many sportsbooks. With promotions like an early payout offer and multi-sport parlay bonuses, Bet365 should be at the top of your list if you are looking to sign up for a new sportsbook today.
NFL Totals Betting Promotions
You will find that most of the best legal online NFL betting sites offer generous bonuses for both new and existing users. While finding bonuses and promotions that directly correlate with NFL totals betting markets could be difficult, they do exist if you look hard enough.
For example, DraftKings Sportsbook will run odds boosts for NFL totals betting as will Caesars Sportsbook. However, the savvy bettor will apply open-ended promotions to NFL totals betting markets, especially betting on totals is their strong suit.
Here is another example. Let’s say DraftKings Sportsbook is offering a 50% odds boost pack for NFL Week 1 markets. You can use one of your odds boost tokens for an NFL totals bet. Meanwhile, if FanDuel Sportsbook is offering an NFL parlay boost, you can construct your parlay with NFL totals bets.
Basic NFL Totals Betting strategy
Every successful sports bettor uses an actionable strategy for every bet that they make. This is because, in sports betting, you need every potential edge you can get. We all know the house always has an edge, and betting with strategy is a good way to get some of that edge back on your side.
Weather Is A Factor
When it comes to NFL totals betting, always look at the weather and where the game is being played. If the game is going to be played in a dome, the weather will not be a factor so then you should expect a faster track which equates to higher scoring.
However, if the game is being played on a cold December afternoon in New England and there is snow in the forecast, then you should expect a slower track and fewer points scored.
Defense Wins Football Games
You should also focus on the strength of the defense for both teams involved in the game.
For example, let’s say a game is featuring two top 15 offenses, but they both also employ Top 10 defenses, then the under would be the play in this scenario since both sides have defenses that are ranked higher than their offenses.
Shop For The Best Line
Outside of handicapping the game itself, the best strategy to deploy for profitable sports betting is line shopping.
When you are line shopping, you are taking the NFL totals betting market you want to bet on and shopping it between a slew of sportsbooks, attempting to look for the best line and the best price. Then, you will place your bet at the operator offering the best lines and odds.
For example, if Caesars Sportsbook is offering the Rams-Chargers total at 54.5 at -110 odds and BetMGM is offering the Rams-Charges totals line at 54 with the same -110 odds, then it would be wise to place the bet at BetMGM since you are getting that extra .5 point for free.
If you wanted the line at 54 at Caesars Sportsbook, you’d have to buy the .5 point to get the line at 54, which will cost you in the odds department.
If you take the Over at 54.5 at Caesars Sportsbook and the final score lands on 54, you will lose your bet. However, if you took the line at 54 at BetMGM, then your bet would push and the stake of your wager would be returned.
Sure, these differences may seem minuscule, but they go a long way if you are thinking with a long-term mindset, which is how one should approach sports betting.
